Inter-locking shelving bracket



July 4, 1961 R. vrru-:LLO

INTER-LOCKING SHELVING BRACKET Filed Dec. 50, 1958 INVENTOR. Ralph VL'L'e//o 4rfcfemg s Starts Parent O V. This invention relates to shelving. brackets and refers more particularly to inter-locking shelving brackets. l Commercial and other enterprises have a great need for shelf space whichcan be easily utilized for the storage or displayof items of `various sizes and shapes. 'I'he AShelving brackets of prior art do not fullill this need, since they are either rigidly connected together, or require the use of angular braces lor gussets located beneath the shelves and serving as supports.

j 4One of the objects of the present invention is to provide shelving brackets with inter-locking parts which can be easily erected `and which do notrequirethe use of angular braces.

. Another object is to make possible, through the use 'ofinter-locking self-containedshelving brackets, the rearrangement :and variation of shelf space, from the same parts and .without thenecessity of using tools or fastenings. ,f Another object is to increase the usable -amount of storage .or display volume by using .cantilevered self- Patented July 4,

der member showing the geometrical configuration of the end portion' and key stone.

a FIGURE 5 is an end view of adjacent gusset bars and shoulder members with shelving boards in place.

' l FIGURE 5w is a transverse section through a modiiied shelving board. FIGURE 5b 'is a top view of a continuous cut-out shelving board flush with the top surface of the gusset bars.

' FIGURE 6 shows a side view of the assembled interlocking shelving bracket and punch strip, wherein the inter-locking members are so shaped that the shelf is sloped downward.

' FIGURE 7 shows a dilerent shoulder member with gusset bar.

vFIGURE l8 illustrates a differently constructed gusset bar with shoulder'member.

A punch strip 11 shown in FIGS. l, 2 4and 3 is provided with a series of key holes 12 placed at particular intervals along its length. Countersunk holes 13 are Vplaced at intervals along the center line of strip 11 and containedv inter-lockingshelving brackets and eliminating the need for any vertical members at the front of, or intermediate Ythe depth of, the shelf space.

' Stilll a further object is to increase .the usable shelf fspace'in the vertical direction between shelves through `the use of inter-lockinggshelving brackets.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the-:objects ofthe presentinvention it was found desirable to provide vertical' columns or supports having Asuitably-spaced openings adapted to receive. specially shaped inter-locking end portions of bracketecarrying gusset bar` units. The inter-locking shelving brackets of the present invention make possible rthe si-mple erection ofV shelves through the useof `specially'shaped members ,and corresponding recesses and openings. `'Ihe interelocking members ofthe shelving brackets may be connected and disconnected without the use of tools or fasteners 'of any kind, thus making the rearrange- 'nientfof 'shelf spaceeasy and economical. Vertical mem aber-s', especiallyslottedf are arrangedfat the rear of` the i vshelf I. space and-specially shaped members are` interlocked in the slots and the shelf itself is then supported by these latter members. Shelving boards in place do not need fasteners to secure them because upward pressure serves to tighten vertical sides of cut outs on shelving to the vertical sides of gusset bar due to the dove-tail shape of the cut-outs and of the gusset bar. For the same reason the shelving when in place cannot warp or twist.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

FIGURE 1 is partly a sectional view and partly a top view of a gusset bar assembled with a shoulderV member and a punch strip, which constitute the shelving bracket of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a combined exploded and partly phantom side view of the gusset bar assembled wit-h a shoulder member and the punch stn'p, as 'well as an inter-locking assembly of the gusset bar, shoulder member, and punch strip.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the assembled interlocking shelving bracket -along with the punch strip.

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the gusset bar and shoulare situated intermediate the key hole 12 to receive screws 14 for the purpose of fastening the strip 11 to a support or wall 15 (FIG. 2). Y

The key holes 12 are trapezoidal in shape with the non-parallel sides 16 extending in a substantially vertical direction (FIG. 3).

A gusset bar I17 and a bottom or shoulder member 18 are fastened together by any suitable means, such 'as screws 19, welding or the like, with the shoulder mem,- ber 118 extending ybeyond the gusset bar 17 on three sides, and the gusset bar 'having a port-ion 20 extending beyond Vthe shoulder member on the fourth side (FIGS. l and 2). vThe self-contained gusset bar 17 may have a thickness of %"or 3A". FIGURE 4 shows an end view of the end portion 20 of the gusset bar 17; it 4is apparent that the 'cross section of the end portion 20 is geometrically simi- Awidth ofthe lower edge 26 of key stone 21 is the same as thewidth of the bottom 27 of the key hole 12 (FIGS. 1, 3, and 4). The length of the key stone 21 in the directionof the axis of the gusset bar 17 is equal to the thicknessof the wall 22 of the punch strip 11 (FIG. 2).V

The Asurfaces 23, 24, 25 of members 20, 17 and -18-, respectively,-may be cut vertically or at any desired angle (FIGS.` 2 and 6). In this manner the angle of theshelf may be controlled when Iassemblingthe linter-locking shelving brackets.

The inter-locking shelving brackets are utilized in the following manner:

Punch strips 11 are fastened in a vertical position at horizontal intervals along -a wall 15 by screws 13 in such a manner that the shorter parallel sides 27 of -the key holes 12 are toward the floor. Gusset bars 17 and shoulder members .18 are fastened together by screws 19 to form one unit as shown in FIG. 2. No further fastenings of any kind, and no further use of tools of any kind, is now required to erect the inter-locking shelving brackets, or to rearrange the shelf space.

A key hole 12 in the punch strip 11 is selected at the particular height at which a shelf is desired. The end portion Z0 of the combined unit of gusset bar 17 and shoulder member 18 is passed through the key hole 12 until the key stone 21 is within the key hole 12 and directly above Ithe punch strip Wall 22. The un-it is then lowered until the bottom surface 26 of the key stone 21 cornes in contact with the lower surface 27 of the key hole 12 (FIG. 2). The sides 28 of key stone 21 are now also in contact with sides 16 of the key hole 12 because key stone 21 is geometrically similar to key hole 12 and 3 rthe lower edge 26 of key stone 21 is the same length as side 27 of the key hole (FIGS. 3 and 4). length of key stone 21 in the direction of the long axis of gusset-'bar 17 is the same as the thickness ofV thepunch strip wall 22, the surfaces 23, 24 and 25 fit tightly against the Wall 22 of the punch strips 11 (FIGURES l, 2 and 6). Thus, the combined unit of the gusset bar 17 and shoulder member 18 is firmly inter-locked in the punch strip 11 without the use of fastenings of. any type. Shelving boards 29 may be'supported onV two or more of the shoulder members 18 as indicated in FIGURE 5.

In FIGURE a is shown a modified arrangement, wherein the shelving board 29a is continuous over one or more shoulderv members 18 and completelycovers the top'surface 17a of the gusset bar 17.

FIGURE 5b shows a continuous cut-out shelving board 29b ilush with the top'surface 17a of gusset bar 17. In this manner continuous shelves of any width and length may be utilized.

If the surfaces 23, 24 and 25 are cut ventical, then the shoulder member -18 and, consequently, the. shelving board 29 will extend horizontally when inter-locked with punch strip 11 (FIG. 2).

If the surfaces 23a, 24a, and 25a are sloped as shown in FIG. 6, then the shoulder member. 18b (and conse.- quently the shelf) will slope down and away frompunch strip 11. This is accomplished by shaping key stone. 21a at an angle, and continuing the same angle on surfaces 23a, 24a, and 25a, of parts 20a, 17b and 18brespec tively, and making side 26a normal to surface. 23a. The sloping bracket arrangement is particularly well suited for display purposes.

The shelving board 29a may be fastened to the shoulder member 18 by any known means such as screws30 passing through holes 31- (FIG. 5a).

An assembly of a gusset bar 17 and a shoulder member 18a is shown in FIG. 7. The shoulder member. 18a may be conveniently removed by unscrewing the screws 19 and replaced by another of different width. This arrangement makes it possible to adapt the shoulder members to specific display requirements.

FIGURE 8 illustratesa structure wherein the gusset bar 32. and the bottom member or shoulder member 33 are made out of a single piece of suitablevmaterial, such as sheet metal.

Some of the advantages of the inter-locking shelving bracket are: easy initial erection of the brackets witha minimum of tools and fasteners; once erected the interlocking members can be easily rearranged` without the use of tools or fasteners, so as to make the most eiicient use of shelf space; no maintenance; easy to manufacture inexpensively; and economical use of space`v since there Since the 4 are no vertical members save at the rear of the shelf space.

It is apparent that the described examples are capable of various modifications within the scope of the present invention. All such variations. and modifications are to be included withinthe scope of. thefpresent invention.

What isclaimed is:

In combination with a vertical'- punch strip having trapezoidally shaped'siinilar' key holes' disposed at intervals; one above the other with the non-parallel sides substantially vertical' and the shonter parallel side horizontal and towardthebottom of said punch stripgan interlocking shelving bracket comprising an elongated' gus.- set |barhaving a main portion, an end portion'andl a key stone portion between said main portion and said end portion, said end portion beinggeometrically similar to and smaller than the key hole, saidkey stone portion'being geometrically similar to said key hole and having a shorter horizontal parallelI side which is substantially equal to the shorter parallel; side of 'said' key hole and a longer parallel side which is of lesser length than the longer parallelsid'e of said key hole, the shorter parallel side of said key stone being located intermediate thetop surface ofi said gussetfbar and the shorter parallel side of said end portion, the length of said key stone being substantially equal to-the thickness of4 said-punch strip, whereby said end portion is adapted to be disposed behind one of the key holes and-said key stone is adapted to be disposed in any one of said key holes with the shorter parallel' sides of said key stone and the key hole in contact andr with an inner surface of said endV portion contacting an inner surface of said punch strip, andy a board-like shoulder member located directly below said main portion of the gusset bar and connected thereto, said shoulder member having supporting surfaces extending beyond said main portion on opposite sides of said gusset bar parallel tothe top surface thereof.

References'Cited in the file ofthis'patent' UNITED. STATES PATENTS 181,178A Jenks- Aug. 15, 1876 998,112 Murray --.July 18, 1911 1,087,302 Kobert Feb. 17, 1914 15,599,653' Cranston Sept. 14, 1926 2,622,834 Sparring Dec. 23, 1952 2,837,219! Ferdinand June 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 87,822 Norway Aug. 6, 1956 154,127 Sweden Apr. 17, 1956 605,669 Great Britain July 28, 1948 

